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Brandon Weeden report card: Breaking down every pass against Jacksonville

josh-gordon-runs.jpg

Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon out paces the tackle attempt by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Johnathan Cyprien as he runs for a reception touchdown in the fourth quarter Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Jaguars went on to win the game, 32-28.
(John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brandon Weeden made all of the dropbacks for the Browns in a 32-28 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. Weeden went 24-of-40 for 370 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted twice, sacked three times and lost one of two fumbles.

(In reality, Weeden was 23-of-40 for 365 yards. But the officials somehow allowed a second-quarter incomplete pass to tight end Jordan Cameron to stand as a 5-yard completion.)

After the game, the Browns’ medical staff diagnosed Weeden with a concussion. It is difficult to ascertain when the concussion occurred.

Upon DVR review of the CBS telecast, here are some observations:

Losing continues: Weeden slipped to 0-5 as a starter this season and 5-15 in his two-year career. He does own one save, against Buffalo in Week 5 this season in relief of injured Brian Hoyer.

Weeden did not merely lose; he lost to a bad outfit. Jacksonville improved to 3-9. Yes, the Jaguars are 3-1 in the last four and have won three straight on the road – but they still stink. Somehow, some way, Weeden needed to find a way to beat the Jaguars in Cleveland.

Second-quarter meltdown: Weeden did some good things, as evidenced by his yardage and touchdown totals. They can’t be discussed, though, until the final 2:47 of the second quarter is dissected. In that span, Weeden managed to drive the Browns’ offense into a ditch and sustain enough damage to the jalopy that a defeat became possible. It happened after the Browns, leading 14-7, forced a punt and took over at the Cleveland 19.

First-and-10 at Cleveland 19: Weeden, under center, dropped back. Running back Fozzy Whittaker picked up Jaguars left end Jason Babin as Weeden stepped up in the pocket. Weeden created a clear lane in which to fire down the right hash intended for Cameron, who had lined up slot right. The pass sailed into the hands of Jaguars safety Johnathan Cyprien at the Cleveland 44. Cyprien returned it to the 17.

Weeden had Cameron breaking free at the Cleveland 30, with Cyprien at the 43. (Josh Gordon also was open on the right side, at the 37.) Anything between the hashes against the two-deep scheme would have produced a significant gain. Instead, Weeden waited a count too long before loading up and throwing behind Cameron. Analyst Solomon Wilcots opted to crack Cameron, saying the tight end didn’t contest and, as a result, allowed the defender to get position on the ball. Wilcots, a former DB, must know that Cyprien never would have been a factor if Weeden had done his job; this play is on Weeden for being late and inaccurate.

Jacksonville converted the turnover into seven points, scoring with 1:19 remaining. The kickoff was out of the end zone.

First-and-10 at Cleveland 20: Weeden received the shotgun snap and looked right the whole way. The pocket was collapsing on him, but he had enough space in which to throw a spiral toward the sideline intended for Greg Little. Corner Dwayne Gratz easily intercepted at the Cleveland 32 and ended up out of bounds at the 28.

Perhaps Little and Weeden weren’t on the same page, as has happened, or Little could have run a better route. Regardless of Little’s culpability, it looked bad for Weeden. Wilcots said: “I don’t think it should have been thrown. There was an underneath defender, the linebacker, (Geno) Hayes, and then the defensive back, Gratz, is able to break on it because it was thrown late outside the numbers. It’s just a bad decision here by Brandon Weeden. I thought the first interception was on Jordan Cameron, who didn’t contest for the ball, but that one clearly was on Weeden … Weeden’s got to do a better job of reading the defense and going elsewhere with the ball.’’

CBS showed a fan dressed as a Pilgrim and holding a sign, “I’ll be thankful for a new quarterback.’’

Jacksonville kicked a field goal for a 17-14 lead with 48 seconds left in the half.

Moments later, play-by-play man Kevin Harlan said, “By the way, if you’re wondering who (Weeden’s) backup is, it’s a guy they signed earlier this week off the Dallas practice squad, Alex Tanney.’’ CBS, smelling trouble for Weeden, showed Tanney in his stocking cap on the sideline as Wilcots continued to talk about “The YouTube Sensation.’’

“Weeden’s got to do a better job of taking care of the football,’’ Wilcots said. “He’s got to have anticipation. Cut the ball loose before the receiver hits his mark.’’

The Browns took over at the Cleveland 20. After Whittaker rushed for 5 yards, Weeden completed three straight passes for a combined 20 yards.

Third-and-4 at Cleveland 45: Weeden received the shotgun snap and, as soon as he got to his spot, was pinched on both sides because left tackle Joe Thomas and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz had given ground. As Weeden looked left and brought back the arm, Babin, who had beaten Schwartz, poked the ball out of Weeden’s right hand with his left. Weeden searched for the fumble, to no avail. Defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks scooped up the ball at the Cleveland 34 and returned it to the 15 with five seconds remaining.

Jacksonville kicked a field goal as time expired for a 20-14 advantage. Loud boos sent Weeden and the Browns into the locker room. At least one fan could be lip-read saying, “Get him out of there.’’

In a span of seven snaps, Weeden had injected slapstick into the proceedings, committing three turnovers that the Jaguars turned into 13 points.

During a halftime highlights show on CBS, NFL Today analyst Shannon Sharpe did not try to hide his disgust with Weeden. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I recommend the Browns cut Brandon Weeden (Monday).’’ Assuming the straight-faced Sharpe was serious, he obviously could not have known that Weeden would be diagnosed with a concussion after the game, thereby precluding a release as early as Monday – even if it were being considered.

Sharpe said: “You’ve got a 14-7 lead, and you have the ball. … Somehow, on three straight possessions, you turn it over. Now you go into the half down 20-14.’’

Sharpe and the rest of the panel, including Bill Cowher, raved about Gordon. Weeden was 12-of-20 for 176 yards in the first half; Gordon caught six passes for 125 yards and one touchdown.

Video: D-Man on Jason Campbell vs. the Jaguars

Second-half rebound: Browns coach Rob Chudzinski stuck with Weeden and was rewarded at the outset of the third quarter, the Browns covering 80 yards on 10 plays and two penalties. Weeden’s contribution consisted of three completions for 37 yards, including a 4-yard laser to Little into a tight window in the back of the end zone. The extra point enabled the Browns to regain the lead, 21-20.

On the ensuing possession, the Jaguars went three-and-out. The Browns began their next drive at the Cleveland 36. Weeden helped the Browns achieve a second-and-5 at the Jacksonville 26. After Willis McGahee ran for minus-1, Weeden was engulfed by blitzing linebacker Paul Posluszny and Babin for an 8-yard loss. On an overload to Weeden’s right, Posluszny split guard Shawn Lauvao and Schwartz.

In one sense, Weeden did not have much of a chance. But he has struggled mightily to sense/diagnose blitzes throughout his two years, and this was the latest example.

The sack proved costly, as Billy Cundiff missed wide right from 53 yards.

The third quarter wrapped with the Browns in front, 21-20. Jacksonville notched a safety and field goal for a 25-21 cushion late in the fourth; the points were on center Alex Mack, whose errant shotgun snap sailed over Weeden’s head and into the end zone. Weeden, nervous Jacksonville might recover the ball, kicked it out of the back of the end zone for the safety. Because Weeden did the (left-footed) kicking, it looked goofy and smelled like panic, but it was a smart maneuver. Based on the locations of Weeden, running back Whittaker and the Jaguars’ defenders, the best-case scenario for the Browns likely was a safety.

Weeden erased the deficit in one play. On first-and-10 from the Cleveland 5, he dropped back into the end zone from under center, looked downfield and connected with Gordon on the right side at the 23. Gordon spun away from the defender -- who gambled on a pick and lost – and ran away from two others for a 95-yard TD. The extra point gave the Browns a 28-25 advantage with 3:55 left.

Gordon smoothly covered the 77 yards after the catch in approximately 9.1 seconds. He was responsible for most of the play, but Weeden deserves credit for throwing a pass accurately and with enough zip to beat the initial defender.

Harlan said of Cleveland Browns Stadium: “This place is jumpin’.’’

At that point, Gordon had 10 receptions for 261 yards and Weeden was 21-of-33 for 342 yards, three TDs and two picks. Weeden had jogged the length of the field to congratulate Gordon and did not outwardly show signs of a head injury.

Weeden should have been able to walk off victorious and feel good about his role, even while dealing with the effects of a concussion. Weeden would have overcome the second-quarter fiasco to post one of the best and most satisfying games of his pro career, and the Browns finally would have won a game he started this season.

It didn’t happen, of course. Of course it didn’t happen. Either way, Weeden exited a loser because the Browns’ much-hyped defense allowed the legendary Chad Henne to direct a nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a third-down TD pass of 20 yards to Collinwood and Mount Union product Cecil Shorts III. Shorts beat Joe Haden, fair and square, with 40 seconds remaining.

During the Browns’ last gasp, Weeden was 3-of-7 for 28 yards – the completions went to Little, Bess and Bess – before a first-and-15 from the Cleveland 48 with six seconds left. Weeden got the ball into the right side of the end zone with room to spare in what amounted to a quality desperation heave, but a Jaguar batted down the pass. In a scene that smacked of classic Cleveland, the Browns had one receiver (Gordon) surrounded by not one, not two, not three, but … five Jaguars. Other Jaguars walled off Bess at the 1-yard line and Little in the back of the end zone. Why Little was not closer to the ball (granting that the smaller Bess would be waiting for a tip) is known only to Little. Cameron, who had lined up wide left, was covered at the 10 on that side.

Locked in: Gordon’s 10/261/2 performance followed a 14/237/1 the previous week in a loss to Pittsburgh. Historic stuff from reportedly one-time trade bait. And to think: Gordon missed a chunk of the third quarter against Jacksonville after safety William Guy illegally hit him high during a pass attempt. Gordon almost held onto the ball as he tumbled out of bounds.

Gordon had minimal difficulty getting open, and he opened the field for others. Unfortunately for the Browns and their fans, Weeden and those others did not take full advantage. Gordon will be that much more fun to watch when the Browns add a legitimate quarterback and legitimate No. 2 receiver.

Gordon almost served up a 300-yard game. On second-and-10 from the Cleveland 20 with 35 seconds remaining, Weeden stepped up in the pocket and had a clear lane out of which to throw. Gordon, having gotten behind the corner and with the safety inexplicably shallow and late, broke open along the left sideline beginning at the Cleveland 45. The pass was a fraction out of Gordon’s reach at the Jacksonville 36; it would not have counted, anyway, because Gordon would not have been able to get both feet in. Weeden narrowly missed on a pass that, while challenging, is one he’s capable of making.

Numbers game: Weeden’s finished with 9.3 yards per attempt and a 94.8 rating. But he posted a poor Total QBR (29.0), a better reflection of his performance. The second-quarter bungling was just too damaging.

Weeden’s final overall grade: C - -

Analyze it yourself! Here is a database of all the Browns passes Dennis Manoloff and a squad of assistants are tracking this season. You can select criteria in the form below and get all the matching throws

How to use the database

First, choose a quarterback.

After that, choose one or more of the other options for comparisons, such as Receiver, or Pressure, or Direction of throw. (Tip: Don't choose too many.)

Click search. You will need to scroll right and left to see all the matched results. You can sort the results and look for more patterns by clicking on the heading of any. Click on "Throw #" at far right to put the throws back into their original order.

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